Blog Archives - Sender One Climbing
Sender City With Julia Walton!

Sender City With Julia Walton!

by | Dec 18, 2024 | Blog, Outreach

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Written by Julia Walton

 

I have three kids and I am exhausted. It’s a happy and reasonable exhaustion from keeping three small humans alive and I’m proud to be their mom, but I can’t stress enough that TIRED is my default setting.

So when I think of activities beyond my kids’ regular extra curriculars, I want something that is going to make them as tired as I am so that when we get home EVERYONE SLEEPS. 

Rock climbing does that.

My nine-year-old, who can climb every single wall in Sender City, can climb for an entire hour, buckling and unbuckling herself from each wall. It is magical watching her do this (without my assistance), knowing that when we get home, she is going to take a hot shower and then CRASH. 

*Cue maniacal laughter*

For my middle daughter, who is now seven, Sender City taught her to be patient with herself.  She took her time getting used to all the different walls available and then one day she climbed all the way to the top of the skyscrapers and leapt into the air like the witches in Practical Magic. Most importantly, she worked muscles that do not ordinarily get quite as much attention, and she was *wait for it* TIRED when we were done.

*Applause*

I now have a four-year-old who is ready to try climbing and this dude has unlimited energy. Naturally, I will be taking him in for his first climb with the hope that he loves it, takes his time on all the different walls, and gets tired enough to sleep the entire night in his bed without sneaking out at 3 AM to crash with us.

#Goals

Rock climbing is an excellent metaphor for life, a reminder to keep pulling yourself up and to keep reaching for the next big thing. In fact, I wrote about it in my middle grade novel, Weirdly Walter, where the protagonist enters a rock climbing competition with his grandpa at an indoor gym. They climbed, bonded, and recognized that even though they both kinda sucked, it was fun and sometimes that’s enough.

Highly recommend Sender City. The skyscraper is our favorite.

May your children be happy and EXHAUSTED when they leave.

‘Tis The Season for Appreciation!

‘Tis The Season for Appreciation!

by | Dec 4, 2024 | Blog, Outreach

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Written by Hailey McFelia

 

December is a time for giving and spending time with those important to you. At Sender One, our members are important to us and we want to give back to you! As a thank you for being part of the Sender One community we have events, sales, classes and clinics just for our Sender members! Below we will be highlighting just a few of our offerings this season and listing everything you’ll have available to you as well.

Since it’s the Holiday season each gym will have a holiday party exclusively for our members. Playa Vista will host their Holiday Party a little differently this year. There will be the usual after hours party (for 18+) where you can partake of drinks, snacks, a holiday raffle, games, a white elephant gift exchange, and, of course, bouldering! Don’t worry they’ll have fun for all ages 4-6pm where they’ll have crafts, a raffle and treats!

Clinics on clinics on clinics this Holiday Season!

One of our anticipated clinics is with Jared from The Climbing Doctor. The Climbing Doctor is not only known for educating climbers on injury prevention and training, but medical providers as well. You can take part in the Injury Prevention Clinic at LAX 12/5 at 7pm. We know 7pm is dinner time, so pizza will be available for all who would like to attend! If you miss out on the clinic at LAX, there’s no need to fear! Westwood will host this clinic 12/12 at 7:30pm.

If you didn’t have a chance to experience our gear trade at SNA, members will have an exclusive event at Playa Vista on 12/19 from 6-8pm. For Member Appreciation Month, members can bring in their own gear to trade as well as rifle through our collective Sender One lost and found. That’s not all! Members will learn how to alter their own Sender One shirt (provided by Sender One) to take home. There will also be pre-crafted Sender One shirts beautifully created by Trash Pile, a tie dye artist who specializes in upcycling thrifted items. Their art alone is worth coming to the event and checking out! Check out Playa Vista’s Instagram for more on this event and Trash Pile’s art.

Members can also further their climbing education with exclusive climbing classes. Hone in your speed or crack climbing skills at our SNA and LAX locations. Usually these classes are an extra cost, but for member appreciation month it is free for our members! It’s our gift to you! If you haven’t been able to try our Training Center at our Santa Ana location, now is your chance! Join us 12/9, 12/16, or 12/23 (7pm-9pm) for a special clinic in our training center.

Don’t worry Sender City Members we didn’t forget about you! Friday 12/13 6-8:30 pm LAX will be hosting a Holiday Party specifically for our Sender City Members! They will serve hot cocoa and cookies for the kid and offer some other fun little crafts as well! Rumor has it there may be a raffle as well. 
We can’t thank you enough for sending with us! We are so grateful for your presence and support. Don’t forget! In addition to these classes and events, you also can enjoy 20% off of our Sender One shop and an extra guest pass (2 total)! Enjoy these tokens of our appreciation and don’t forget to RSVP ASAP to these classes and events. 

LAX:

General Offerings

Member Holiday Party 12/18

Member-only SC Sessions: 12/17 & 12/19 (5:30pm-6:30pm) 

Free Instruction Clinics

1 extra Guest pass

20% off retail

Instruction and Clinics Offerings

Jared Vagy Hand Clinic for Members: 12/5

Short Beta Clinic - 12/9 (7PM-8:30PM) - Taught by Yu-shien

Intro to Speed - 12/11 (7:30PM-8:30PM) - Taught by Stella

 

SNA:

 General Offerings:

Member Holiday Party: 12/12 (7pm-9pm)

Member-only SC Sessions: 12/3, 12/10, 12/17 (5:30pm-7:30pm)

Parents Night Out: 12/19 (5:30pm-7:30pm)

Member Morning Coffee: 12/9 (7am-9am)

Free Instruction Offerings

1 extra guest pass

20% off retail

Instruction and Clinics Offerings

Speed Clinic: 12/12 (7:30pm-8:30pm) 

Crack Clinic: 12/17 (7pm-9pm) 

Training Center Clinics: 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23 (7pm-9pm) - Series of workshops like Breaking Beta 

Free Lead Class Raffle

 

PLAYA:

General Offerings:

Member Party: 12/21 

Member Upcycling Event: 12/19 

1 extra guest pass

20% off retail

 

WESTWOOD:

General Offerings:

Member Party: 12/13 

Jared Vagy Hand Clinic for Members: 12/12 (7:30pm - 8:30pm) 

1 extra guest pass

20% off retail

 

LAKEWOOD:

General Offerings:

Member Party: 12/11

Member Only SC Sessions: 12/12, 12/16 (6:30pm-8:30pm)

Free Instruction Offerings

1 free guest pass

20% off retail

Instruction and Clinics Offerings

Crack Clinic: 12/2 (7pm-9pm) 

Intro to Hangboarding: 12/9 (7pm-8:30pm) 

Advanced Lead: 12/19 (7pm-9pm)

What To Do With Your Kids This Holiday Season!

What To Do With Your Kids This Holiday Season!

by | Nov 20, 2024 | Blog, Outreach

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Written by Alexandra Erdman

 

Listen, we all value time with the people we love over the holidays. But it’s no secret that kids being out of school means their boundless energy has no where to go! Well, let me be the first to volunteer Sender One as tribute! 

Whether you need somewhere to drop your kiddos for a couple hours or you’re looking for something to do as a family/group, we’ve got you covered!

Whenever local schools break for the season, you can count on Sender One to host a Rock Climbing Camp. We currently offer camps at four out of our five locations: LAX, SNA, Lakewood, and Playa Vista! Each of these camps offers something different that you will not be able to find anywhere else. 

During the week of Thanksgiving, LAX, SNA, Lakewood and Playa Vista are all offering a 3-Day Camp where you can drop your little climber off for 3-4 hours. During that time, our Sender One coaches will lead  the kids through basic climbing education and technique as well as fun challenges and activities! LAX & SNA are known for their thrilling King Swing while Lakewood and Playa Vista both offer a slackline. Playa Vista is especially known for its exciting obstacle course. LAX, SNA, and Lakewood all offer a day in Sender City!

If next week doesn’t work for you, no worries at all. We are offering single day camps throughout December, as well!

LAX Camps
SNA Camps
Playa Vista Camps
Lakewood Camps

If you are looking for something you can do as a group or family, a session in Sender City might be the best place for you! Sender City is an indoor interactive climbing experience offered exclusively at Sender One LAX, SNA, and Lakewood. Each gym’s Sender City will vary slightly but all three are guaranteed fun! 

All you need to do is find a session that works best for you, reserve spots for everyone interested in climbing and get ready to climb! 

We’ll set you up with a harness, helmet, and safety orientation! All we ask is that you wear clothes you can climb in, a hairstyle the helmet can safely fit over, and closed-toed shoes (socks are not a bad idea either). Because Sender City operates via an auto-belay system, climbers do need to be a minimum of 35lbs and all kids under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. 

At face value, Sender City might look like a kids-only area but I PINKY PROMISE, it is so much fun for all ages. So parents, 10/10 recommend climbing with your little ones!

If you love Sender One (and we hope you do), there are lots of options for revisiting! Ask the front desk how you can save money on your next visit!

Sender City LAX
Sender City Lakewood
Sender City SNA

Team Sender One Competes At Elite Nationals Tomorrow!

Team Sender One Competes At Elite Nationals Tomorrow!

by | Oct 11, 2024 | Blog, Outreach

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Written by Alexandra Erdman

 

As you read this, Team Sender One is sending six athletes to Salt Lake City to compete in the 2024 Yeti National Championships this weekend! I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t I read about Team Sender One at Nationals a few months ago?” And the answer is, Yes! You Did!

Earlier this summer, Teams Sender One LAX & SNA competed (and placed) at Youth Nationals. The Yeti National Championships (commonly referred to as Elite Nationals) actually falls into the Elite Series, as opposed to the Youth Series. While both series are organized by USA Climbing, Elite Nationals is a series that is essentially for pro climbers; it’s the World Cup/Olympic Track Competitions. Elite Nationals is the first of two competitions in which the National Team for the 2025 World Cup season is selected (the second being National Team Trials which will be Spring 2025). To qualify for  National Team Trials, athletes will need to place in the top 40 for Boulder or Lead, or they’ll need to hit the benchmark time in Speed (5.44s). Based on their performances at Yeti Nationals and National Team Trials (with NTT being weighted slightly higher), the athletes are given a National Team Rank, which will determine World Cup Invitations.

Our athletes are specialists. So all six athletes will only compete in one discipline: 

  1. Ethan A (Lead)

  2. Maddi H (Speed)

  3. Michael Hom (Speed)

  4. Taede M (Speed)

  5. Alexis P (Speed)

  6. Logan S (Speed)

Aside from the competition itself, Taede is very excited to visit a great taco place he found in SLC. Maddi is most excited for fall colored leaves and see athletes she only gets to see a couple times a year. Logan said he is most excited to compete against really fast climbers.

A long standing tradition for some members of Team Sender One is to make fun bets on the competition; something to help take the pressure off and build team morale! It usually pertains to shaving heads or wearing a Hatsune Miku wig on the podium. Keep your eyes peeled for any silliness at the podium!

A few of the athletes were kind of enough to share their personal goals for Speed Climbing this weekend: 

Taede is aiming for 5.5 seconds.

Maddi’s goals are to win a knockout race and get  sub 8 seconds.

Logan is going for the Benchmark time (5.44s).

To keep up with the Yeti National Championships this weekend, visit the link here. And join me in wishing Team Sender One luck and speed in Salt Lake City!

America Recycles: All Month Long

America Recycles: All Month Long

by | Oct 5, 2024 | Blog

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It’s November 15th, and it’s not just your average Monday because it’s time to celebrate America Recycles Day! But this year Sender One isn’t just celebrating for the day, we are celebrating all month long. 

What is America Recycles Day?

It's a national holiday dedicated to promoting recycling. The E.P.A (Environmental Protection Agency) promotes this holiday due to the many benefits of recycling:

  • Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators
  • Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals
  • Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials
  • Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials
  • Saves energy
  • Supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources
  • Helps create new well-paying jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States

For our month-long celebration, we're providing ways to play our part in this national holiday and global cause. 

1. Remember to Recycle

At all Sender One locations you’ll find recycling bins available throughout the gym. To strengthen our recycling knowledge, we’ve added info posters on the bins for quick reference on what you can recycle to help reduce waste!

While you're climbing at the gym, you may come across the perfect opportunity to add one of these to the recycle bin:

  • Yerba Mate, Health-Ade, and Voss Water Glass Bottles
  • Proud Source Water, Redbull, & Starbucks Nitro Brew Aluminum Cans
  • Muscle Milk, Gatorade, & Tropicana Juice Plastic Bottles
  • SendBlend & CRUXGRIP Liquid Chalk Plastic Containers (Rinse First!)

 

2. Participate in Upcycling

At all Sender One Climbing gyms we are collecting retired ropes for an upcycling project that will support fundraising for the Animal Wellness Foundation. If you aren’t sure where the collection bin is at your gym, ask a staff member!

The retired ropes that you donate will be cleaned, cut, and turned into dog leashes so they can be reused by our furry companions! If you’re interested in helping us assemble these leashes, stay tuned for volunteer sign ups in our newsletter later this month.

The finished leashes will be sold at the  all Sender One Climbing gyms  and 100% net proceeds donated to the Animal Wellness Foundation. The Animal Wellness Foundation is a large advocate for the animal wellness movement and supports the cause in the following ways: 

  • Raising funds for companion animals of low-income families and for the housing and rehabilitation of homeless animals. 
  • Rescuing & fostering animals found in situations of abuse, neglect or abandonment, as well as in city and county shelters. 
  • Funding spay, neuter, and vaccination programs so every animal in their care receives the medical treatment they need.
  • Supporting animal protection policies at the federal level, getting veterinary experts to the frontline of the animal protection movement.
Build New Habits

Take a few minutes of your day to reflect on your current recycling habits - you may already be recycling in more ways than you think!

Consider if there’s an opportunity to introduce one or more new ways to recycle this month to build a habit of it year-round. 

If you need some inspiration on ways to introduce more recycling habits into your day to day, check out these accessible options: 

  • Bring a reusable bag to the grocery store
  • Buy rechargeable batteries
  • Print paper double-sided or reuse misprinted papers to make notepads
  • Bring a reusable mug to your coffee shop
  • Flatten cardboard boxes so that you can fit more into your bin.
  • Most metallic items can be recycled, such as empty spray cans and tin foil, plus empty soda, fruit, vegetable and other food cans.
  • Stop by your local recycling center and drop off anything that was not picked up by your curbside service.
  • To help your recycling center keep down foul odors, wash food waste off of food containers before recycling. 
  • Bring your own food to the office in a reusable container to reduce packaging waste.
  • Save office supplies by keeping your markers, pens and glue sticks in a clean dry space as heat makes them dry out.
  • Reuse office supplies: use newspapers to wrap things for the mail instead of bubble wrap or use paper clips instead of staples.
  • Use email for most memos and office communications.
  • Convert old sheets, towels and clothing into wash rags
  • Repurpose glass jars as storage containers
  • Buy second hand furniture

References

EPA America Recycles | Animal Wellness Foundation | ReuseThisBag.com

Hispanic Heritage Month!

Hispanic Heritage Month!

by | Sep 19, 2024 | Blog, Outreach

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Written by Hailey McFelia 

 

This month we are diving into Hispanic Heritage month by taking a look at our climbing community. There are a few affinity groups who are helping “climbers of color unite!” They’re not just helping build recognition, but getting people the tools they need to get outside and climb! Lagartijas and Escalemos are two groups that you may have seen around collaborating with Sender One on events & the Send With Mi Gente Meetups! Lagartijas is a climbing crew created by "people of the global majority" (meaning people with Latin American, Indigenous, Asian, or African descent). Lagartijas created a gear library to help make essential items more accessible to their community members. Escalemos is a group that specializes in Latin representation in climbing and outdoor spaces. They do this by guiding outside at local crags. Which is another useful tool for building up these affinity groups as well as their goal for Hispanic representation in the climbing community.

I sat down with Andrea from Lagartijas to chat with her about her experience leading with Lagartijas:

Can you share with us a meaningful story that came about from a Lagartijas event or meetup?

"It's really hard to pinpoint one exact moment.  We just had our three year anniversary and had a huge party.  I won’t lie, I was a little worried about turnout because it was a holiday weekend and a few friends had already told me they weren't going to be able to make it.  In the end, we had over 150 people show up to celebrate. It was so amazing to hear the stories of people's first meetups and the friendships that they made. I think I cried a few times that night.  It feels so amazing that I've been part of this organization that has brought so many people together."

What is your dream goal or event for Lagartijas?

"I would love to have a BIPOC centered climbing Festival in California. We have so many world-class crags and it would be amazing to bring more people that look like you and I to these corners of California."

Are orange pants the best pant color? 

"If you don't own orange pants you are absolutely missing out! I think I currently have at least three pairs."

*If you haven’t had the pleasure of climbing with Andrea you may not know this, but girl always be wearing orange pants.

Do you have a call to action for the climbing community or local climbing gyms?

"To me it's all about accessibility.  I've seen some gyms have amazing policies and it makes me wonder why others can't do the same. For example, my new home gym here in San Luis Obispo offers free day passes for anyone with a tribal card as well as discounted memberships for anyone who is part of the local affinity groups."

I am someone who is VERY white passing and I’m always nervous to join groups like Lagartijas based on the way I look despite the fact I am Mexican. I know that other people in my situation also feel this way, but what is your take on this topic?

"I'm not here to tell people what they are and what they aren't.  To me Lagartijas is all about creating a safe space for people and having a community where you can be yourself."

How can climbing gyms do better to support Lagartijas and other affinity groups?

"Offering affinity group specific clinics and classes at a discounted rate will definitely help various groups achieve their mission of getting people to climb outside safely. Additionally, seeing ourselves represented amongst the staff helps foster a more welcoming environment."

It’s Hispanic Heritage month, what would you like to see from the climbing community during this month?

"It's not only about this month, but what the climbing community can do for others all the time. All Too often people are comfortable being silent.  Being an ally isn't just about re-sharing Instagram stories and posting links to a GoFundMe. Speak up for your peers in person,  and apply this to outside the climbing world as well."

Here’s to celebrating Hispanic Heritage month and those out there working hard to see themselves and others like them represented within the climbing community. Your time and hard work is appreciated! Thank you for bringing people together and encouraging others to “climb as they are”.

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